Eric Arriaga wanted to go to medical school after graduating from Stanford University in 2015.
When he earned his degree in cellular and developmental biology, he was going to fill the gap year between his undergraduate studies and medical school by coaching volleyball. Instead, he embarked on a six-year journey that led him to an assistant coaching job at UTA.
“I fell in love with it, and I didn’t think I would because I didn’t know much about it,” Arriaga said.
The 28-year-old Aurora, Colorado, native was hired onto head coach J.T. Wenger’s staff in February before the COVID-19 pandemic closed campuses around the nation, forcing many into a virtual world of learning.